Chairman Basavaraj Horatti is in the Chair as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah addresses members in the Legislative Council at the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi on Friday.  | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Ruckus again in Council over Panchamasali reservation

Discussion on the demand for inclusion of Lingayat Panchamasali community under 2A category results in heated debate, chaos

by · The Hindu

A discussion on the demand for inclusion of Lingayat Panchamasali community under 2A category, which was allowed in the Council on Friday for the second day, again led to heated debate and commotion and subsequent adjournment of the House for the day.

The discussion on the issue was allowed after BJP Council members Hanumanth Nirani, Keshavprasad and others raised it through a calling attention motion under Rule 72.

Speaking on the issue, Leader of opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said that the Chief Minister did not give any reply to their query raised during Zero Hour on Thursday and sought to know whether the government is in favour of reservation for Panchamasalis or not.

“The Chief Minister did not give a direct reply on the issue. Instead, he made circumlocutory remarks. What we want to know from the government is whether the Chief Minister will give reservation to the Panchamasalis or not,” he said.

Intervening in the discussion, Congress members Yatindra Siddaramaiah and B.K. Hariprasad contended that the demand has to come through the designated Constitutional route. They even suggested that the reservation ceiling of 50% should be removed so that more deserving communities, including Panchamasalis, can be considered.

Replying to the question, Minister for Social Welfare Shivaraj Tangadagi gave the status report and said that the previous government gave a compliance/undertaking affidavit in the High Court of Karnataka and the matter is pending before court.

Unsatisfied with his reply, the Opposition members sought clarification whether the government is in favour of Panchamasali reservation or not and the subsequent remarks between the ruling and Opposition members led to chaos.

In between, BJP’s Ravikumar said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made a false statement on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes allocation by the Union government and the Opposition members started raising slogans against the Chief Minister accusing him of being a liar and rushed to the Well of the House.

The ruling party members too started accusing the Union government of the same. Following the pandemonium, Chairman Basavaraj Horatti adjourned the House for the day. The session will resume on Monday.

Published - December 13, 2024 09:25 pm IST